Moral relativism and Obama at Notre Dame

Some 24 percent of Catholics who attend church regularly say abortion is morally acceptable and 37 percent of them support Obama speaking at Notre Dame. But 52 percent of Catholics who do not attend church regularly say abortion is morally acceptable and 56 percent of them support Notre Dame's invitation to Obama.

Catholics most likely to not attend church weekly are youth. According to Gallup, 70 percent of 21-29 year olds don't.

Contrary to providing diversity of opinion, by inviting Barack Obama, Father Jenkins really just played to his audience. True leadership would have been to invite a speaker who would inspire this young audience to take seriously the values of their Catholic tradition.

I received a call the other day from a woman distraught that her son was accepted at Harvard. How could this be you ask?

After he was accepted, she took a closer look at the school and came across a story in the school paper, the Harvard Crimson, about the "fifth annual Female Orgasm Seminar."

After looking over the details, she concluded that this is not where she wanted her son. But if not Harvard, where? Where can a parent send their son or daughter to get educated and not be indoctrinated with liberal boilerplate?

Catholic universities were supposed to serve this purpose. But it's clear that they, too, have been swept into the liberal tsunami that has engulfed America.

Ironically, Father Jenkins states in his letter that Notre Dame's invitation to Obama is "not a political statement or an endorsement of policy." He then expresses admiration for the president's views on "expanding health care, alleviating poverty, and building peace through diplomacy."

Does Father Jenkins not even understand what a "political statement" is?

Unfortunately, Notre Dame's invitation to President Obama has only contributed to the moral ambiguity tearing at our nation's fabric.

Star Parker is founder and president of CURE, the Center for Urban Renewal and Education, a 501c3 think tank which explores and promotes market based public policy to fight poverty, as well as author of the newly revised Uncle Sam's Plantation: How Big Government Enslaves America's Poor and What We Can do About It.